<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>our sign is blue by seungsiks (galacticnik)</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25193794">our sign is blue</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/galacticnik/pseuds/seungsiks'>seungsiks (galacticnik)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Produce 101 (TV), UP10TION, X1 (Korea Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Space, Alternate Universe - Spies &amp; Secret Agents, M/M, Wooseok is mentioned a lot but doesn't actually make an appearance, Yein shows up once, i wrote this for me but you can read this i guess, implied past Kim Wooseok/Lee Jinhyuk</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 09:02:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,877</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25193794</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/galacticnik/pseuds/seungsiks</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jinhyuk meets Seungyoun at bar at the edge of the galaxy. </p><p>It goes from there.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cho Seungyoun | Seungyoun/Lee Jinhyuk</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>our sign is blue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>
  <span class="small">i wrote half of this while like, sleepy as fuck so i'm sorry if it makes no sense. will try to fix any typos when i read over this later oop.</span>
</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You look like shit,” Seungyoun says, leaning his hip against the counter. His eyes are sharp, gently probing, and Jinhyuk shifts his gaze away with an unconvincing smile. </p><p>The bar’s nearly empty today, with only a few booths occupied by the regulars on this rock. Mining drone operators, for the most part. Some guys from transport ships wanting to grab a drink while their ships refuel. Sometimes, there’s the odd smuggler or bounty hunter coming through in search of customers or targets or simply some news. Even rarer, civilians or tourists whose ships break down in the area, lounging here as they wait for repairs to finish.</p><p>And Seungyoun. He occupies a category all by himself.</p><p>“You’re a charmer.” Yeah, Jinhyuk probably <em>does</em> look like shit. He’s running on zero sleep and a bunch of stim boosts <em>just</em> shy of over the ‘recommended dose’. Rubbing at his sore arm absentmindedly, he sighs. He wishes he could be in bed instead of working this shift, but it’s not like he can really do anything about it now. “You could’ve just said I look devastatingly handsome and left it at that.”</p><p>“I thought your boss had a ‘no bullshit’ policy here,” Seungyoun replies, fluttering his eyelashes with the barest hint of a shit-eating grin on his face. It makes him look roguishly charming, which Jinhyuk assumes is exactly what he’s going for. </p><p>“<em>Ha</em>,” he intones, straight-faced. “You’re hilarious.” But despite himself, the corners of his mouth twitch as he throws a cleaning rag in Seungyoun’s direction, which Seungyoun catches effortlessly and tosses onto the counter in one smooth motion. </p><p>“Seriously, though. I’m worried.” Seungyoun’s forehead creases as he rests his elbows on the counter and props his chin up. He watches as Jinhyuk resumes cleaning up behind the bar, dusting bottles and wiping glasses. His stare is almost a physical thing; Jinhyuk can feel it pressing into his back. “Ever think about taking an evening off?” </p><p>Jinhyuk grimaces. “I… can’t.” Seungyoun’s dropped by nearly every day over the course of the past two weeks, and Jinhyuk’s been there to greet him every single time he walks through the door. It’s less than ideal, but Jinhyuk has his reasons for being here. Reasons he can’t tell Seungyoun in spite of his concern. Wouldn’t tell Seungyoun even if he could. “I need the money,” Jinhyuk says, hoping the explanation will suffice. “It’s okay; it should just be a couple more days. Then I’m taking a whole week off.”</p><p>Seungyoun looks unconvinced. “You better.”</p><p>“Why’re you here anyway?” Jinhyuk opts to shift the conversation to safer topics, like Seungyoun. People like to talk about themselves, he’s learned. Once they get started, whatever you were discussing before fades into the background and eventually slips out of their memory. “Not off swindling some rich idiot or whatever?” </p><p>“Me? Perish the thought.” His innocent smile is the farthest thing from; there’s a glint in Seungyoun’s eyes that should make Jinhyuk uncomfortable. Would, probably, were he a normal person and were this bar somewhere <em>reputable</em>. As it is, he doesn’t care. “I’m done with Sungwoon and Ha Enterprises already, so I thought I would stop by for one of your shitty signature drinks.” </p><p>“They were shitty before I started working here! I just carried on the proud tradition of shittiness.” </p><p>“I wanted to see you too,” Seungyoun adds, still all smiles. His hands fall to rest on the counter, fingers inching forward before halting abruptly. “How you were doing. Kind of hoped I <em>wouldn’t</em> run into you because that would mean you were resting, but…” Trailing off, he laughs. “Can’t say I’m not a little happy either.”</p><p>“Damn, okay then, <em>mother hen</em>.” Jinhyuk grins, mentally filing away the traitorous way his heart swells at Seungyoun’s words for further examination at a later date. “You know, I should be worried about <em>you</em>. Sungwoon Ha isn’t known for being forgiving. What if his goons catch up to you?” </p><p>Seungyoun strikes a confident pose, one arm flexing, the other dropping down to his belt to hover above his blaster. “You know I can handle anything.” </p><p>“No, you can’t,” Jinhyuk says, half-jokingly, and Seungyoun gives him a smile that is equal parts cocky and brittle. </p><p>“Ye of little faith,” he replies, throwing his credit chip down on the counter. “Well, whatever. Barman! A drink! Your shittiest special!” </p><p>“Of course, <em>customer</em>.” Jinhyuk throws him a two-fingered salute. “Toxic sludge coming your way.” He pours one out for himself for good measure. Drinks, however bad, are always meant to be shared.</p><p>Over his glass, Seungyoun looks at him with an expression best described as fond. It’s not unfamiliar—but for once, Jinhyuk doesn’t know what to do with it. He opts to throw his drink back in one gulp instead, relishing as the burn travels down his throat and settles into his belly. </p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>There's a bar nestled in the unregulated system situated between Federation and Alliance territory—a hidden ‘gem’ on planet KP-30294, though calling the bar a ‘gem’ or the planet a ‘planet’ is a stretch. KP-30294 is a rock with a population of 86, its prime function a refueling and repair station, with some minor mining operations taking place on the side. The bar’s there as an afterthought; it operates as a place for people to grab some drinks and food while they wait for their ships to get back up to speed.</p><p>Because this is unregulated space, it’s coincidentally became a good place for people despised by both the Federation and the Alliance to hang out. Nowhere as popular as Hell’s Gate station, the hub of criminal activity in the galaxy, but the bar here (<em>Chens</em>, no apostrophe) caters to those looking for information or people, and serves as a stop-over to greener (or blacker) pastures. </p><p>Jinhyuk ends up here by design, not accident, though he invests a lot of energy in making it look like the latter. For all intents and purposes, he’s a bounty hunter on the run from the authorities. He’d been pushing his wrecked ship to KP-30294 but ran out of fuel and ended up sitting dead just outside the planet’s atmosphere. They had to tow his ship in, and the cost of that coupled with the repairs and refueling his ship required to make it functional was more than Jinhyuk could afford. So when the owner of Chens offered to hire him as a bartender to work off the debt, he readily agreed. </p><p>It’s been three months since then. The ship’s repaired and fueled up, ready to take to the stars any day, and Jinhyuk’s debt is paid. The last part is a secret—no need for anyone to know nothing is rooting him here. Simpler to let them think his motivations are still tied to money. Thankfully, Chens’ owner is discreet and asks no questions; he’s happy to let Jinhyuk work as many shifts as he wants since it gives him more time to spend off-world with his family. </p><p>In truth, Jinhyuk is waiting. </p><p>Wooseok should be here any day, any hour, any <em>second</em>. He’s been deep undercover in Federation territory for the past year and a half, and Jinhyuk is supposed to pass on further instructions and a package to him on neutral ground. Chens is the safest place to meet briefly, incidentally. The hand-off doesn’t need to be more complicated than Wooseok ordering a specific drink they don’t make and Jinhyuk passing on the package tucked into a napkin along with a coded message.</p><p>The key is to not bring attention to themselves. He’s been here for three whole months for that reason, cementing his backstory and building goodwill with the locals. Blending in. Waiting. Waiting. <em>Waiting</em>. </p><p>Wooseok gave him a one-month window.<em> I will be there in July</em>, he’d written in a message it took Jinhyuk days to decipher. Just that, nothing else. He’s carried the words close to his heart ever since. </p><p>But July ended last week. Wooseok is late. He’s never been late before. Jinhyuk doesn’t know where to go from here—but he refuses to stop waiting for now. </p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>“You’re watching the windows again,” Seungyoun says idly, tracing the rim of his glass with a finger. </p><p>Jinhyuk tears his eyes away with a distracted smile. He’s peering out one of Chens’ grimy windows, desperate for any glimpse of what’s going outside. Desperate, he admits, to catch sight of Wooseok’s ship or the man himself. Sometimes he thinks he can spot Wooseok approaching, but then he shimmers out of existence before he can reach the bar. The stim boosts are probably making him hallucinate, Jinhyuk reasons. It doesn’t make him feel any better. </p><p>“Just enjoying the view,” he says blithely. Fuck, he’s tired. He’s <em>tired</em> and he’s running out of boosts and Wooseok still isn’t here, has made no attempt to contact him or the Alliance on any of their channels. Should he really be playing bartender right now? Maybe it’d be better if he went out in search of him?</p><p>“What about the view in front of you?” Seungyoun’s teasing voice brings Jinhyuk’s attention back to him. Once again, he looks deceptively innocent—it’s his features, Jinhyuk thinks. Unless he’s smirking, Seunyoun looks guileless, adorably charming. There’s something about his smile that easily tugs one from Jinhyuk’s face in turn. </p><p>It’s probably a useful skill to have, considering his line of work. Seungyoun is a grifter—the perfect representation of the kind of clientele Chens attracts in spades. He’s refreshingly honest about it, freely discussing his targets and his methods with Jinhyuk when prompted. </p><p>They’d met during Jinhyuk’s second shift. Seungyoun walked in with a grin that only widened when he saw the new bartender, and he’d slapped down a black market credit chip on the counter, gleefully ordering a round of drinks for the whole bar on him. Once the night wound down and he and Jinhyuk were the only people there, they’d started talking—about why he was in a celebrating mood, how he’d got the money, what Jinhyuk was doing here, so on. </p><p>Jinhyuk fell into the friendship easily, but he’s always been good at this part. Blending in with the locals, cultivating positive relationships, integrating himself into the fabric of any community without giving too much of himself away. He’s adaptable, but more than that, it helps to ingratiate yourself with the people wherever you’re posted. Sociability is just another tool in his arsenal, along with his friendships and his web of relationships. </p><p>But he has a hard time thinking of Seungyoun as a <em>tool</em> to be used and discarded. The lines are blurry here; he genuinely enjoys hanging out with him. Maybe a little too much—maybe he’s gone soft waiting for Wooseok to arrive, lost sight of his mission a bit. Maybe he’s just tired, and looking for someone to care about him. </p><p>Either way, stupid. </p><p>Jinhyuk raises an eyebrow. “Are you flirting with me?” He is, but that’s Seungyoun. He flirts when he talks, adjusts his body language to support it unconsciously. Jinhyuk can see how so many people have fallen for his romance scams. </p><p>“And if I am?” </p><p>“Come off it.” He goes to shove Seungyoun’s shoulder with a laugh, but Seungyoun grabs his hand before he can make contact, his fingers wrapping around Jinhyuk’s wrist. Jinhyuk’s laughter fades as he looks at Seungyoun, who seems perfectly calm even though he can probably feel the slight fluttering of Jinhyuk’s pulse. </p><p>Seungyoun’s thumb runs over the black strip tattooed across Jinhyuk’s wrist. It’s a soft, innocuous touch, but Jinhyuk’s muscles tense and he pulls his hand back. The Marker is given to every elite Alliance agent before they set out on their first mission. It’s meant to be scanned to confirm their identity to any Alliance officials or soldiers should the need arise. </p><p>Seungyoun shouldn’t know what it is. Maybe he doesn’t. The look in his eyes isn’t suspicious but something else entirely. Wanting. Jinhyuk’s not a fool; he knows what it means, even if he doesn’t know how to respond. No, how he wants to respond. And wanting for him is dangerous.</p><p>“Waiting for someone?” Seungyoun asks, tipping his head towards the window behind him. </p><p><em>Yeah</em>. “No.”</p><p>“Anyone waiting for <em>you</em>?” There’s a heavy pause, and Seungyoun looks uncharacteristically nervous. “Back home?” he clarifies, waving a hand in the air. </p><p>He takes a moment to reply. “There is no back home.” Shrugging, Jinhyuk plays with his hands, nails scraping against his Marker to remind him of the truth behind the cover. “This is the longest I’ve been stationary.” Unlike Wooseok’s long term infiltration missions, his are short and high risk. Six months, tops, and then he’s out of there. “I’m…” </p><p>Jinhyuk stops, licks his lips. He and Wooseok, they’d tried to be together once, fresh from training. The ink on their wrists had barely dried before they learned the hard way that loving someone was a liability in their line of work. He’s seduced people before, kept up the pretense of a romantic relationship when necessary, but in reality… “I don’t have anyone,” Jinhyuk finishes. There’s a bitter taste in his mouth. Sometimes he wishes he did. </p><p>“Hm.” Seungyoun’s leg bounces up and down, his hums melodic in their thoughtfulness. </p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Nothing.” The innocent, charming grin is back, all white teeth and half-moon eyes. “I’m just in a good mood all of a sudden.” </p><p>“You’re so <em>weird</em>.” He grabs Seungyoun’s glass and refills it—it’s whiskey, their best Earth vintage, and costs more than what most of the bar’s other patrons make in a month. “Here. It’s on the house.” Their fingers brush against each other when Jinhyuk hands him the glass, and Jinhyuk doesn't flinch or pull away. Neither does Seungyoun. </p><p>“Trying to woo me?” Seungyoun murmurs, his eyes searching Jinhyuk’s face for—something. He finds it, and his face lights up. </p><p>“You’re trying to woo <em>me</em>, aren’t you?” His judgment’s wavering. Jinhyuk’s tired, worried, and now has the added bonus of being lonely. And he likes Seungyoun, even if he knows his smiles can’t be trusted. Maybe it’ll come back to bite him in the ass, but he’s not going to be on this rock for much longer. </p><p>Seungyoun doesn’t respond, but when Jinhyuk lets go of the glass, he takes a long swing before setting it down with a satisfied sigh. He swipes a thumb over his bottom lip, drawing Jinhyuk’s eyes, and chuckles. “Wooing’s my specialty, but this is something else.” </p><p>He doesn’t elaborate, and Jinhyuk doesn’t ask. </p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>Jinhyuk sends out an encrypted message to his handler on a secure Alliance channel days later. <em>Wooshin missed window for the hand-off. No communication. Status unknown. Please recommend how to proceed. </em></p><p>There’s a nervous itch developing between his shoulder blades. So much could’ve gone wrong. Wooseok could be in trouble. Wooseok probably<em> is</em> in trouble. Maybe he can’t break cover for some other reason, but Jinhyuk’s imagination skews towards the drastic. Even if he can’t break cover, he would’ve tried to get some message out. </p><p>Rather than continuing to wait for someone who might never arrive, he’s willing to cut his losses—and maybe his message will prompt the Alliance to extract Wooseok from his post. A post they probably shouldn’t have authorized in the first place, but that’s a moot point now. </p><p>He’s rubbing his temples as he emerges from his ship, and almost runs into Seungyoun in the process. “Hey.” Seungyoun’s hands reach out to steady him before he can stumble forward. “Everything okay?” </p><p>“Fine,” Jinhyuk says shortly. Seungyoun’s concern is palpable as he ushers Jinhyuk to a quieter area of the dock. His ship—<em>UNIQ</em>—looms behind them, burnished metal and sleek, bold colours. It’s a far cry from the beat-up, scrap metal ship the Alliance provided Jinhyuk for his cover, but he supposes he needs to keep up appearances somehow. </p><p>“You don’t look fine.” Seungyoun still looks worried, his fingers digging into Jinhyuk’s shoulders. </p><p>“Just got a message from a business contact,” he lies smoothly, shrugging Seungyoun off. “She has a new bounty for me—in Hell’s Gate.” Chuckling, he runs a hand through his hair. “Fun, huh? Looks like I’m going to have to move on soon.” </p><p>“Huh.” The name of the station gives Seungyoun pause. “Hell’s Gate? You’re going to get eaten up there.” </p><p>Although Jinhyuk’s confident in his ability to hold his own in a station full of hardened criminals, he forces himself to close his eyes and exhale loudly, defeated and resigned. “Why do you think I’m so stressed out?” </p><p>“Well.” Seungyoun shifts his weight from one foot to another. His eyebrows are knit together, gaze heavy with disappointment, or worry, or both as they both contemplate what this means for the future. “Want to grab a drink? Together, for once?” he asks finally. </p><p>“We drink together all the time?” </p><p>“Sure, but you’re usually on the other side of the counter. Serving me and all.” He gestures to the now non-existent distance between them, and for the first time, Jinhyuk notices how close Seungyoun is. Close for Jinhyuk to see the exact shade of brown his eyes are, close enough to trace the shape of his lips, close enough for his errant hairs to brush against Jinhyuk’s cheek. “I meant, grab a drink <em>with</em> me.” </p><p>“Oh.” Jinhyuk blinks and steps back. “Yeah, okay. At the bar, or—?”</p><p>Seungyoun’s face splits into a grin. “I have some good Old World stuff on my ship.” He says it both as an invitation and promise, not just of the alcohol but of something more. Jinhyuk hesitates; every cell in his body screams this is a bad idea, but—</p><p>
  <em>But.</em>
</p><p>He squares his shoulders. “Lead the way,” he says, giving Seunyoun a crooked grin.</p><p>Inside, the ship is sparse, almost utilitarian in its decor. There’s a small kitchen with an expensive-looking food synthesizer, a relaxation area with stiff black couches and a stack of datapads resting on a steel table, and beyond—sleeping quarters, Jinhyuk assumes. </p><p>Seungyoun makes a beeline for the temperature controlled storage underneath the counter and emerges with a green-tinted glass bottle. “Here,” he says, popping the cork with an excited smile. “Mind grabbing glasses? They’re in the top cupboard.”</p><p>“Right, sure.” He ignores the mugs in favor of the crystal champagne flutes, quietly marvelling at the fact that Seungyoun just has this stuff on hand. Maybe it’s stolen—property of Ha Enterprises. The thought makes him chuckle. “So… champagne? What are we celebrating?”</p><p>“It’s preemptive,” Seungyoun says, filling both their glasses. His movements are careful and precise. “A work in progress, I guess? You’ll see.”</p><p>“I’m anticipating it,” Jinhyuk says, taking a sip. It’s bubbly, he thinks. Effervescent. It suits Seungyoun. </p><p>They move to the couches, and conversation remains light after that. But Jinhyuk’s trained for this, filled his mind with enough idle chatter to keep a shallow conversation going for hours, revealing nothing personal in the process. The aim is always to dig, to make the other party spill more than they intend without making it obvious. He finds himself subtly probing now, and Seungyoun gives too much of himself away, unhindered and unworried. His eyes glimmer in the dim lighting, teeth flashing white. </p><p>The bottle is almost empty when Seungyoun says, “I really want to kiss you.” </p><p>It’s a bad idea. It's a terrible idea. “Okay,” Jinhyuk says, setting his glass down on the table. </p><p>Seungyoun shifts forward first, or maybe he does. He’s not sure. In the span of a second, they close the distance between them, and then—</p><p>The kiss is hurried, hungry. It’s heated, bodies pressed together, hands roaming over skin. Jinhyuk’s heart rate speeds up, his stomach twisting into knots. He <em>wants</em> this, even if it’s not—being an agent is about caution, about boundaries. About not letting yourself get swept up in the tide. But <em>sweeping</em> is what Seungyoun seems to do best, and all Jinhyuk can do is cling to his collar for dear life. </p><p>“You don’t know how long I’ve been wanting to do this,” Seungyoun says, breathing hard as he pulls away. His pupils are dilated, hands flirting with the waistband of Jinhyuk’s pants, threatening to dip lower. </p><p>Jinhyuk’s chest is heaving too, his eyelids heavy, lazy. “Why’d you wait?” </p><p>“Because I felt like <em>you</em> were waiting.” </p><p>Jinhyuk doesn’t need to ask ‘for what,’ just wonders if it really was that obvious. Maybe he needs to return to training. Fuck if that isn’t going to be irritating. “And now?”</p><p>“Now,” Seungyoun says, climbing off the couch. Jinhyuk sits up as well, curious as Seungyoun punches some numbers into a keypad on the wall. “The waiting’s over, right?” The doors to his sleeping quarters slide open, revealing a spacious bed—with a real, honest to god mattress. </p><p>“You ass,” he laughs. “You’re so cryptic. If you’re feeling <em>sentimental</em> because I’m leaving—“</p><p>“Call it that, sure.” There’s a trace of softness in Seungyoun’s eyes. “Sentiment. That fits.” He pulls his shirt off, revealing a number of tattoos. Jinhyuk’s eyes catch on an emblem above his heart, distantly familiar. “So, are <em>you</em> feeling sentimental?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Jinhyuk says, climbing to his feet and following Seungyoun to the room. “Yeah, I am.”</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>Seungyoun is gone when Jinhyuk wakes up. Not that he really expected otherwise. Throwing an arm over his eyes, he counts backwards from ten before dragging himself out of bed to search for his clothes. Once dressed, he leaves the ship—it locks behind him, the AI coolly wishing him goodbye. Its metallic voice sends a shiver down his spine. Must’ve been disabled last night, he thinks tersely. </p><p>The walk back to his ship is slow, giving him time to reflect, though <em>self-reflection</em> is at the bottom of his list right now. It’s safer to wonder if the Alliance has sent a message back, to start making plans to leave. He’ll tell the owner of Chens he has a new job and needs to leave. Shouldn’t take more than a day, ideally.</p><p>“Morning, Sleeping Beauty,” is the first thing he hears when he steps inside his ship. The pilot’s chair swivels to reveal Seungyoun, his hair swept back out of his face, eyes narrowed. He crosses his legs and leans forward, and Jinhyuk’s eyes fall on the blaster in his hands, pointedly squarely at his gut.</p><p>Jinhyuk is not surprised. “Kind of rude to abandon me in your own bed like that.”</p><p>“You’re a big boy. You should be used to being abandoned.” The grin slips off Seungyoun’s face, sharpening into something more piercing. More deadly—a dagger to slip between his ribs. “He’s not coming, you know. But I guess you’ve worked that out by now?”</p><p>“What did you do to him?” Seungyoun, or the Federation. Whoever’s responsible. Is there even a difference between the two? He’d known who Seungyoun was from the minute he spotted the emblem tattooed above his chest, but he had his suspicions before then. Seeing them confirmed makes his stomach squirm, but—</p><p>What does it say about him that he’d still slept with Seungyoun after knowing? </p><p>“Me, personally? Nothing.” Seungyoun has the nerve to sound contrite, his face falling comically. “But he’s not coming, so why don’t you just hand over his package to me?” </p><p>“Or what?”</p><p>“Or I’ll pull the trigger?” Seungyoun tilts his head to the side, his mouth tugging downwards. “It would be a shame though. Kinda don’t want to do that.”</p><p>Despite his words, his hand is steady and his eyes are cold, no-nonsense. Merciless, Jinhyuk thinks, so unlike the affectionate gaze he remembers from last night. “Go ahead. I’m not afraid to die.” </p><p>“<em>Of course</em> you aren’t. You’d be useless to the Alliance if you were, Agent Wei.”</p><p>Had he known from the beginning and approached Jinhyuk on purpose? He’s used to lying, to deception, used to tricking people, though he hates to think of it like that. Jinhyuk’s been on the receiving end of it more than once too, but this… <em>stings</em>, unexpectedly. Maybe it’s the thought of being bested by a Federation agent that annoys him. Maybe it’s the thought of Seungyoun being fake that upsets him. </p><p>He drags his hands down his face. “You didn’t have to become my friend or—<em>fuck</em> me to get the data. I think that was excessive.”</p><p>“No, I didn’t—“ For the first time since they started talking, Seungyoun looks unsure of himself. The mask slips, the cocksure agent giving way to an uncertain man with a shaky smile. Whatever flickers behind his eyes isn’t arrogance, but confusion, doubt, and something else Jinhyuk doesn’t want to recognize. “That was for me, just because I wanted to.” </p><p>“Why?” </p><p>“I like you, Agent Wei.” The smile is back, but it’s edged with softness. “Wish we weren’t on the wrong sides of this war.” Like some kind of fucked up Romeo and Juliet, except it isn’t love and they’re not teenagers and the both of them should’ve known better. Maybe this show of vulnerability is a ruse too. Maybe all of this is one big cosmic joke. </p><p>The agent in him should use this admission to his advantage, or something like that. But the person, Jinhyuk, is just tired. “I corrupted the data,” he says, after a long, protracted pause. “You won’t be able to use it even if I did give it to you. Not even your Federation AI can clean it.” </p><p>Seungyoun uncrosses his legs and stands up. “And I’m just supposed to believe you?” </p><p>Jinhyuk shrugs. “Do whatever you want.” He’s being honest, for whatever it’s worth. Jinhyuk corrupted the data the minute he decided to give up on waiting for Wooseok. It’s standard procedure for the Alliance, and, well, Jinhyuk doesn’t like to leave loose ends anyway. He’d studied it first, though. Knows exactly what was on that data chip, and looks at Seungyoun with a challenge in his eyes. </p><p>Seungyoun meets his gaze head on, probing. “Boo,” he says finally, tucking his blaster back in his holster. “You’re probably a little too honest for this line of work, Agent.” </p><p>“I’m just tired of bullshitting with you.” </p><p>“I’m flattered.” </p><p>He steps aside to allow Seungyoun to approach the door. Protocol would say to pull out his own blaster, try to detain Seungyoun and bring him in for questioning. But Jinhyuk was honest there too—he <em>is</em> tired, and he doesn’t think Seungyoun would go down quietly. Besides, what’s the point? Seungyoun didn’t kill him. Jinhyuk doesn’t really want to kill him either. </p><p>This feels like a stalemate. </p><p>“I’m going to find him,” he says, as Seungyoun passes by. He means Wooseok—he’ll find him and rescue him, no matter what, with or without the aid of the Alliance. Likely without; Wooseok would die before he’d give up their secrets, which means the Alliance won’t be motivated to retrieve him. As his best friend, Jinhyuk has to. Who, if not him? </p><p>“I’m counting on it.” Seungyoun flashes him a bright, predatory grin, tinged with something—anticipation, excitement, yearning. He’s close enough to touch. Jinhyuk almost reaches a hand out to grab his arm, pull him back and demand answers. Or maybe just kiss him. He’s lost his mind already, so one for the road? But he does neither, and soon Seungyoun is out of reach. “Until then, Agent Wei,”</p><p>“Until then, Agent Woodz.”</p><p>Seungyoun doesn’t seem all that startled that Jinhyuk knows his agent name. It’d been emblazoned on one of the mugs in his cupboard, and part of him believes Seungyoun left it there on purpose. He’s definitely playing a game of some kind, and Jinhyuk—he’s playing too, but a different sort of game. It’s in their nature. It’s who they are. </p><p>Blowing Jinhyuk a kiss as he exits out the hatch, Seungyoun’s laughter follows him out and all the way back to his ship. It rings in Jinhyuk’s head for the rest of the day, and many days after. </p><p>(It’s a nice laugh. Open and intoxicating. A good countermove.</p><p>Maybe Seungyoun wins this round.)</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><hr/><hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>Once he docks in Tiptree a week later, Jinhyuk sends another message to the Alliance. <em>Wooshin compromised. Package destroyed. Awaiting further instructions. </em></p><p>He writes his report and submits it to his handler for review, giving Agent Sunyoul curt, superficial answers when he probes for more information on Woodz. “Please don’t tell me you’re going to do something stupid like going after him,” Sunyoul says once they’re done with the debrief. “Wei, <em>do not</em> chase after Wooshin. Or Woodz,” he adds, after a thoughtful pause. </p><p>“I’m not going to do something stupid.” Jinhyuk has a plan. Sort of. He’d placed a tracker in Seungyoun’s ship, and hopefully <em>UNIQ</em> will lead him right to Wooseok  </p><p>Sunyoul sighs. “You’re definitely going to. You’re absolutely, a hundred percent going to.” When Jinhyuk doesn’t deny it, Sunyoul’s tone turns exasperated. “This is why I hate field agents.” </p><p>“Love you too, Sunyoul.” He cuts the line and turns back to the map of Federation territory. It’s a collection of disparate systems, but amidst all the strange planets is a familiar <em>ping!</em> This is enemy territory, literally. For Wooseok, he’s willing to dive in headfirst, danger be damned.</p><p>Seungyoun’s just collateral. Secondary importance. But Jinhyuk’s looking forward to besting him this round nevertheless.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <span class="small">ah. like i said, i really wrote this for me because i like jinhyuk/seungyoun and they're promoting together so i felt like it was fitting!! i also love spies and secret agents even though this is light on... those shenanigans. idk. handwaved a lot of worldbuilding but i have thoughts on it regardless so feel free to ask questions if you have 'em. i don't have a fandom twt but you can reach me on <a href="https://curiouscat.me/ongsiks">cc</a>! </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="small">anyway! thank you for reading ♥</span>
</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>